Live Baby Live, Now That the Night is Over…
June 8, 2010 | 3 Comments
The other day, Scott brought to light the matter of Rand Paul using Rush’s music during his campaign… and Rush suggesting he stop. It’s not the first time this has happened. A couple of years ago, Heart took exception to Sarah Palin’s adoption of Barricuda as a campaign theme.
As a sometime/onetime non-professional musician, I can understand. An artist wants to have control over his work, and, unlike mere piracy, this appropriation can strike at the heart of the creation. The use of one’s art against one’s political beliefs can certainly seem the cruelest jab of all.
Nonetheless, I would implore musicians to, generally speaking, be lenient. Despite my sympathy for their desire to control the exploitation of their creations, the use of pop culture reference points in campaigning adds colour to our political life, hopefully drawing in those people who might be otherwise disengaged.
Let me tell you a little story; in June of 1993, I attended the Progressive Conservative leadership convention. I was a Kim Campbell volunteer* and delegate, and we were told to be prepared for something new before Ms. Campbell’s speech. A friend and I were about four or five rows from the stage, and it was Ms. Campbell’s time to speak. Just as she was about to enter, the new campaign hit us. As INXS’s New Sensation came blaring out at us, new signs were unfurled and the Minister of National Defence entered the arena with the air of a rock star.
For a budding political junkie, it was absolutely fantastic. The Ottawa Civic Centre was just alive with the exhortations of Michael Hutchence. It was phenomenal**. It was the sort of, er, sensation you’d want to accompany civic engagement.
I have no idea how well Ms. Campbell’s politics would have jibed with those of INXS (perhaps we can ask J.D. Fortune), but the moment was fantastic; it was unforgettable; and it’s the sort of thing I’d like to see us keep.
*I cannot claim any moral high ground here. My friend and I quickly sussed out that our riding association had a strong and prominent contingent of Kim Campbell supporters, so we figured throwing in with her was our best chance to get elected to attend the convention.
**Phenomenal, unlike Ms. Campbell’s pedestrian speech, which sucked all the life out of the place, as if 15 000 people had suddenly awoke to a hangover… especially compared to Jean “the bloc is a crock!” Charest, who delivered the most exhilerating speech – and best take away line – of the entire campaign.
Tags: Barricuda > Heart > INXS > J.D. Fortune > Jean Charest > Kim Campbell > Michael Hutchence > New Sensation > Progressive Conservative > Rand Paul > Rush > Sarah Palin
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3 Responses to “Live Baby Live, Now That the Night is Over…”
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June 8th, 2010 @ 2:33 pm
Gosh Jonathan, I didn’t realize you’d been a Campbell supporter… what was it like after the Tory Armageddon? I remember the news talking about how there were only 2 seats left but all the adults around me were liberals or NDP so I never heard what the perspective was for a Tory.
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Jonathan McLeod Reply:
June 8th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
It was pretty surreal. I was only 17, and hadn’t been involved until right before the shelacking, so I didn’t have a great frame of references as to how things had been. However, you could tell a lot of people took the defeat hard. They were used to having success (at least in some ridings) and used to having some prominent people to look up to, and that was all gone.
A lot of the insiders knew it was coming, so they weren’t hit as hard. It was the people who were really committed as volunteers and participants, but weren’t involved in the back room machinations who were left in shock.
Luckily, in Ontario we soon had Mike Harris’s Common Sense Revolution, so we were able to revel in provincial success.
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North Reply:
June 8th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Cool thanks for the insight!
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